Why Havent I Got My Stimulus Check Yet
- 11:04 ET, Sep 14 2021
THREE stimulus checks have been sent out to eligible Americans but some have yet to receive payments.
Here are the details of the payment rounds and what you should do if you are due lost cash.
What do I do if I am missing a stimulus check?
If you are eligible for payments and you think you are missing money, the IRS encourages you to contact the agency.
Americans can check the status of their stimulus check on the Get My Payment app.
“There is a small number of people who have not received their stimulus payments,” IRS spokesperson said.
“We ask that they be patient with us and also be persistent in contacting us.”
For questions regarding your stimulus status, the IRS asks you to contact -800-919-9835 – but filling out the Rebate Recovery Credit form with your 2020 taxes should still be a priority.
Social Security Recipients Are Still Waiting
According to the IRS, the third round of economic stimulus, known to the Treasury as EIP3, will be sent to people who didnt file a return but receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits , Railroad Retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income or Veterans Affairs benefits. This is similar to the first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments, often referred to as EIP1 and EIP2.
The IRS has not confirmed the official payment date. Social Security recipients will get the payment the same way they would normally receive Social Security benefits.
For those who received EIP1 or EIP2 but dont receive a payment via direct deposit, they will generally receive a check or, in some instances, a prepaid debit card . A payment will not be added to an existing EIP card mailed for the first or second round of stimulus payments, the IRS says.
While the payment date for many recipients was March 18, a specific date for Social Security recipients has not been confirmed.
Hunsches advice to those eager to get their checks is to be patient.
Generally, by about the end of the month, everybody should start seeing their payments, or at least be notified of whats going on as to why you didnt get your direct deposit today, he said.
He said youd most likely be notified by a letter in the mail.
Havent Received Your Third Stimulus Check Call The Irs Phone Number And Tell Them
If you havent received your third government stimulus payment yet, theres a way to track it down without going to the IRS website and navigating the seemingly endless maze of menu links, FAQs and status messages.
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Just pick up your phone and punch in these 10 numbers: 800-919-9835. Thats the IRS Economic Impact Payment phone number, which connects you with a live representative.
As noted on the Toms Guide website, the phone number is a good option if you have a hard time navigating the IRSs dedicated stimulus check website, or if you have a question that cant be answered on the site.
Just keep in mind that the IRS has been overwhelmed with inquiries during the pandemic, with millions of Americans clogging up the phone lines to ask about their tax refunds, stimulus payments and other benefits.
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When you call the number, youll likely be greeted by an automated recording that will attempt to help you before youre connected with a live representative. Be prepared to sit on hold for a while, and make sure you have your questions and basic personal information ready.
Meanwhile, something you should never do is accept phone calls from someone claiming to be with the IRS the IRS never calls. If someone calls you claiming to be with the IRS, they are almost certainly trying to scam you.
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I Received A Second Payment But My Spouse Didn’t
There have been cases where a couple submit their tax returns as “married filing jointly,” and both spouses are eligible for a $1,400 stimulus check, but one spouse received a payment and the other did not . This is an error on the IRS’s part. Unfortunately, the spouse who didn’t receive a check will have to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on his or her 2020 tax return. See below for instructions on claiming the rebate on your tax return.
How Get Your 1st And 2nd Stimulus Check
The only way to get the 1st and/or 2nd stimulus check is to file a 2020 tax return and use the recovery rebate credit in the Federal Review section to get it. If you filed a 2020 return and did not complete that section then you can amend your 2020 return.
If you still need to file a 2020 return:
Online preparation and e-filing for 2018 and 2019 and 2020 is permanently closed.
To file a return for a prior tax year
If you need to prepare a return for 2018, 2019 or 2020 you can purchase and download desktop software to do it, then print, sign, and mail the return
You may also want to explore purchasing the software from various retailers such as Amazon, Costco, Best Buy, Walmart, Sams, etc.
Remember to prepare your state return as wellif you live in a state that has a state income tax.
When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2s or any 1099s. Use a mailing service that will track it, such as UPS or certified mail so you will know the IRS/state received the return.
Federal and state returns must be in separate envelopes and they are mailed to different addresses. Read the mailing instructions that print with your tax return carefully so you mail them to the right addresses.
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Filing A Payment Trace To Find Missing Stimulus Money
You can request an IRS payment trace if you received the confirmation letter from the IRS that your payment was sent , or if the Get My Payment tool shows that your payment was issued but you have not received it within certain time frames. This is the case for all three checks. Check out our guide to requesting an IRS Payment Trace here.
Haven’t Gotten Your Third Stimulus Yet Here’s What To Know
On Wednesday, April 21st, the IRS sent out another round of stimulus checks to 2 million people marking 161 million recipients of stimulus checks, at a total of $379 billion, in six separate rounds of payments. But 161 million people is not everybody and in fact, many people are still waiting for their stimulus checks to hit their bank accounts or arrive in the mail.
Heres what to know about continued payment rollouts, those plus-up payments if the IRS underpaid you for your stimulus check, how long the IRS has to send all of the stimulus checks, and what to do if you still havent gotten your payment.
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Why Cant I Get On The Get My Payment Site
The IRS said this can happen if people dont provide security answers that match the tax agencys information over the course of several attempts to log in. The IRS asks for personal information such as a Social Security number, birthdate and address.
If you cant verify your identity, you wont be able to use Get My Payment, the IRS said. Dont contact the IRS for assistance with a lockout IRS assisters cant unlock your account.
However, the site will allow you to try again after 24 hours.
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What Is A Plus
A plus-up supplemental payment is a new or larger payment you may be eligible to get if you recently submitted your 2020 tax return and your income or number of dependents changed.
For example, if you received a partial third stimulus payment based on your 2019 income, but your income declined in 2020, you may receive another payment to make up the difference between the two amounts. Your original third stimulus payment and your plus-up payment together will equal the amount youre eligible to receive based on your 2020 tax return.
On April 1, the IRS announced that new payment batches include supplemental payments for these people. As of late June 9, more than 8 million plus-up payments have been issued.
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How To Claim Your Missing $600 Or $1200 Payments
The stimulus checks are generally advance payments of a tax credit.
The 2020 tax returns now offer a section where you can claim the recovery rebate credit for either the first $1,200 stimulus check or the second $600 payment if that money is due to you line 30 of Forms 1040 or 1040-SR.
On that part of the return, filers can start with the amount of stimulus money they already received and calculate any more funds which they are due. That can be done either through a worksheet provided with the tax form or through tax preparation software.
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I Had A Problem With The First Or Second Payment
Some individuals had too much income in 2019 to qualify for the first or second stimulus payment , but their income decreased enough in 2020 for them to qualify. If you fall into this category, you can file a tax return for your 2020 taxes and you’ll receive a recovery rebate credit as part of your refund .
In other cases, families received stimulus payments by direct deposit but the IRS neglected to add money for one or more of their children. Sometimes there didn’t seem to be a reason for this . For other families, it seems the IRS did not update the number of children that taxpayers have, even for families who claimed new children on their 2019 tax returns. You’ll be able to claim the rest of the stimulus payment when you file your next tax return.
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What Do I Do If My Payment Was Sent To The Wrong Bank Account
Many taxpayers who used H& R Block, TurboTax or another tax preparation software company have reported issues with receiving their payments. Like with many of the second stimulus checks, the IRS has seemingly sent the funds to the wrong bank accounts.
The IRS has said that if this is the case, the funds will be sent back to the agency and then reissued as either a paper check or debit card and sent to the address the agency has on file for each affected taxpayer. The Get My Payment tool will show the updated information when its available.
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The IRS reveals the quickest way to receive money is to request direct deposit instead of a mailed paper check.
If you have not filed taxes yet, you can file for an extension until October 15, 2021. Experts say it is better to file something or to file for an extension than to miss the filing deadline.
Read our stimulus checks live blog for the latest updates on Covid-19 relief…
What is the reason I did not receive a stimulus check?
There are a few possible reasons you did not receive a payment.
- Income changes
The income requirements for the third round of checks has changed and your earnings could push you above the threshold for a check.
Checks were sent to individuals with an AGI below $75,000, rising to $150,000 for married couples filing jointly and $112,500 for heads of household.
- Tax returns
Those who haven’t filed their tax returns for 2020 will have their 2019 forms used to determine how much they receive.
If you changed bank account in the past year and haven’t updated your tax files then the money could be sent to the wrong place.
- Tax glitches
Americans are struggling to receive stimulus checks because of money sent to the wrong accounts.
- Debt collector
Your money could have been picked up by a debt collector such as if you owe money on loans or credit cards.
- Your check is coming by mail
The IRS has prioritized sending checks to those whose direct deposit details it has on file.
Am I eligible to receive the second Golden State Stimulus payment?
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How To Track Your Stimulus Payment
If you’re wondering where your plus-up payment or stimulus payment are, you have the ability to track the status to determine whether the IRS believes you are eligible and if the IRS has sent it out yet. As with the stimulus payments, you will use the IRS’s Get My Payment tool to see the status of your plus-up payment. If you are eligible, the tool will tell you how and when the money will be sent to you.
You can also use the USPS Informed Delivery system to keep an eye on your mailbox if you’re expecting to see a paper check arrive in the mail.
How Do I Get My Stimulus Check
If youve filed a tax return for tax year 2019 or 2018 or submitted your information to the 2020 IRS Non-filer portal, you dont need to do anything. The IRS shouldve automatically sent your payment. Social Security recipients, including Social Security Disability Insurance , railroad retirees, and Supplemental Security Insurance and Veterans Affairs beneficiaries shouldve also automatically received a check.
All first stimulus checks were issued by December 31, 2020. If you are missing your stimulus check or didnt get the full amount that you are eligible for, you can claim your first stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return or by using GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
To use GetCTC.org, youll need a phone number or email address. Youll also need to provide your full name , mailing address, date of birth, Social Security Number, bank account information , 2019 Adjusted Gross Income , and details for any qualifying children you have.
9. What if I dont have an email address?
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You May See A ‘payment Status Not Available’ Message
Don’t be alarmed if the Get My Payment tool gives you a message that says “Payment Status Not Available.” You may see this message until your payment is processed, according to the IRS. So you may not have to do anything.
But it could also mean you’re not eligible for a payment. So you may want to double-check your eligibility and plug your numbers in our stimulus check calculator to see whether you’re due money.
Get Our Top Investigations
Out of what should be an incredibly positive story, just kept getting black eye after black eye after black eye, said Nina Olson, who served as the IRS taxpayer advocate until last year and is now director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights. And thats coming partly from the IRS just being overwhelmed, but also not doing the planning and strategic thinking that they really should have once it became clear that the pandemic wasnt going to be a 60-day flu.
In a response to detailed questions, the IRS said that it is deeply committed to getting EIP payments to all who are eligible, including the difficult to reach community of individuals who are not required and do not file tax returns.
Factors involving time, staffing, IT resources and other components affected our decisions, but there is no question the IRS went to great lengths to deliver this program in record time to help more than 160 million households in need, the agency said.
People who havent received payments fall into two basic groups: First, those who were entitled to the money but didnt receive it automatically because their income was so low they didnt file tax returns, and they either havent applied or tried to but failed. Second, those who were left out by intentional policy choices namely, the spouses and children of undocumented immigrants and approximately 2 million inmates of prisons and jails.
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I Got A Payment Status Not Available Message
Many checking on their second stimulus check were seeing a message that said “Payment Status #2 – Not Available.” The IRS has indicated that these individuals will not receive a stimulus check by direct deposit or mail and they will have to file their 2020 tax return to claim their “Recovery Rebate Credit.” See below for instructions on claiming the rebate on your tax return.
These messages have now disappeared and will be replaced by information about the third payment.
Your Contact Information Has Changed Since Your 2019 Tax Filing
According to moving tools and analysis company MYMOVE study of USPS change-of-address request data, 16 million Americans temporarily moved during the pandemicif thats you, the IRS may not have your latest address on file.
And even if you filed your taxes early this year, the IRS may not have processed your 2020 tax return. About 6.7 million tax returns are stuck in a backlog waiting to be processed, according to a March 12 story from The Washington Post.
If your mailing address has changed, theres several ways you can notify the IRS of your new contact information:
- Include the new address when you file your 2020 taxes and be sure to notify your tax preparer if you use one.
- Fill out Form 8822, Change of Address and/or a Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party Business and send them to the address shown on the forms.
- Send a letter with your full name, old and new addresses, Social Security number, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or Employer Identification Number, and signature to the IRS address on your most recent tax returns.
If the government already sent your payment to an old address, youll have to wait until its returned to the IRS and see if you can update your information via Get My Payment.
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